Numerous detergent products are available to a consumer. Continuous consumer need exists, however, for improved performance, especially if such can be achieved at the same or lower cost. Specifically, consumers look for improved soil removal, without having to pay a premium for such benefits.
Polyamines, such as tetraethylene pentamine (“TEPA”), are known in petroleum production and refining operations as corrosion inhibitors, demulsifiers, neutralizers, and functional additives.
Laundry applications use modified polyamines. See for instance, WO 00/63334, EP 137 615, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,848, WO 99/49009, U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,226, U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,378, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,898. Some of these documents describe detergent compositions which also incorporate anionic surfactants or fatty acids, or anionic surfactant precursors, in the presence also of strong caustic agents which are added to produce anionic surfactants from anionic surfactant acid precursors or fatty acid salts from fatty acids.
The present invention is based at least in part on the discovery that improved soil removal is achieved when polyamine mono-anionic surfactants are combined with a solubiliser within the parameters according to the present invention.